Crystal Vision
by insomniatic-titans
Summary: Eren visits Annie while she is in her crystal when he suddenly gets a look into her past.
1. Visiting

"I...I want to see her sir."

It had been approximately four months since Annie Leonhardt enclosed herself in solid crystal after her fight in titan form with Eren. No one knew how to get her out so they could interrogate her which was a large problem. So for the time being, her crystal resided deep in the lower levels of the walls.

"And why should we let you?" The lance corporal asked him narrowing his eyes.

Eren wanted to see her more than anything at the moment. He wanted to see his so-called 'friend' that he had sparred with in his trainee years.

"Because I think I know how to interrogate her." The teen answered.

"How are you going to do that? She's still in that damn crystal you idiot."

He wasn't at a loss for words but he needed a second to think of what to say.

"Uh...well...I'm a titan, right? Maybe I'll know what to do. You never know if you never try."

After a minute of hesitation the older of the two stood up from his seat and produced a key, holding it out to the titan-shifter.

"Alright, you have one chance. Only five minutes and do not do any weird shit."

"Thank you sir!"

After many steps and levels of the wall they reached the door of her room.

"Um...may I go in alone?"

"What are you going to do in there, make out with it?"

"No! I just…"

"Yeah, just like I said before, no weird shit." Levi warned before walking back without Eren following.

Now opening the door, Eren could see her clearly. She was enclosed in with a mono-clinic shaped gem with ropes tied all around it which stood atop a pedestal made of wood.

"Hey Annie…" He called out to the sleeping crystallized girl, even though she probably couldn't hear a word of it. Her eyes were closed which made her appear to be in a slumber. "You have, uh...you've missed...a lot, really. Like Reiner being the Armored Titan and Bertholdt being the Colossal Titan," He said, laughing faintly to himself, "But I guess you already knew that, huh?" He asked, scratching the back of his head.

"You don't know what kind of trouble you've caused us, do you? The trouble you've caused me Annie. I can't stop thinking about you! I don't know if it' because I'm angry or well because...I miss you, but damn it why won't it stop!?" He ranted.

Eren took a breath before starting again "look, that isn't why I came here though. I came because I missed you. Everyone else hates you but for some reason I just can't. When I saw you crying in your titan I just had a feeling that you didn't want to just hurt everyone, but that you had a reason for what you did. You must have, right?"

He looked her over. She looked the same she always had: light blonde hair tied up in a ponytail, the same hoodie she always wore, but her blue eyes were closed peacefully.

"When are you coming back Annie…?" Eren asked to her sleeping form, reaching his hand out to touch her crystal.

The boy let it all out as tears fell from his eyes and the second a drip of that water touched the gem it began to light up like a ray of sun had hit it. The hand that was touching it felt warm and his vision started to become cloudy.

"A-Annie!?" The shifter questioned, but before he knew it had fainted.


	2. Unconditionally

A bright light flashed in his eyes, blinding him.

"Where am I?" Eren asked himself getting up slowly. As soon as he was on his two feet he looked at his surroundings and happened to be inside a rustic hunting cabin.

_Why am I here? Where even is here?_

He scanned the room for a second before looking down at his hands and jumping in surprise. "W-Why can I see through my arms!?"

Eren almost screamed but suddenly the door opened and two people happily walked inside. One was a beautiful woman about the age of his own mother when she died and the other was a little girl with the same features and cute smile.

"Is that Annie?"

The girl was wearing a light blue dress that went down to her ankles while the woman wore a matching green dress. Both their hair was pulled into a low bun on the back of their heads.

"Mommy! Mommy! Can you tell me a story again?" Little Annie asked with puppy dog eyes.

"Annie, you know your father and I want you to rest up for training tomorrow."

_Maybe they can't see me._

"Come on Mama, please!"

As she begged and pleaded, the woman just couldn't say no to her daughter.

"I guess a small story will be okay…"

"Yay!"

The two females took seats: Annie on the ground and her mother on a rocking chair. All Eren could do was watch and listen to the story, unable to be seen be either of them.

"Once upon a time there was a brave girl named Annie. She was also a titan-shifter and had the ability to turn into a huge creature with beautiful blonde hair and baby blue eyes." The lady told, exaggerating by all means possible and using large hand motions to make the story as visual to her child as it could be.

"No matter where Annie ran, people would shun her and her kind, but not her mother. No, she saw her for what she truly was. Annie was just a defenseless girl trying to find her place in the world where she could be herself. To everyone she was a monster but to me, my daughter was a person with magnificent powers and the heart of a lion!"

The boy became immersed into the story and understood how Annie's mother truly saw her. She wasn't afraid of her daughter like everyone else even though the girl was half titan. Her mother was the person she wanted to return to. In fact the only one she could return to who would love her unconditionally.

_Would she return to her father? Annie told me about how he trained her but where is he?_

"Mommy? If I ever… did something bad would you still love me?"

"Of course I would sweetie! Nothing you ever do would change my feelings about you. I love you Annie!" She exclaimed and drenched her daughter with kisses with her chapped lips.

"I love you too Mommy." Annie got up from her seat giggling and gave her mother a tight hug around her legs.

_She looks so happy. I remember when mom used to kiss me like that…_ Eren remembered but was taken out of his thoughts as the door opened.

"I'm home."

_Who could that be?_

* * *

((Ugh I know this chapter is short but I was so eager to write it. I know nothing is canon really about Annie's mother but I think they would have a pretty close relationship. Tell me what you think and if you have any suggestions I'm all ears! - Emily))


	3. No Use

"Father?" Annie said excitedly, still hugging her mother.

When Eren turned around he saw a tall, well-built man with light wrinkles on his face; his lips were in a tight and unchanging line.

The titan boy felt intimidated even though he couldn't be seen. The time he trained with her he remembered that she had the same expression on her face.

Kids really do look like their parents, huh?

"I'm home. Hey, why are you both up?"

"Well, Annie was begging me to play with her and I couldn't just say no to her." The woman said with a gentle hold on her daughter.

"How do you think she's going to train tomorrow when she stays up this late? She'd be falling asleep and she'd faceplant on the ground!"

"Luke please! Calm down! Annie's right here. We can argue about this later, alright?"

Gaining his composure, Luke walked over to his daughter and bent down to look at her, now at eye level.

"You want to be a warrior, don't you?"

Annie felt conflicted. She wanted to do what her father wanted but in Erens eyes she looked frightened. After all, she was only a girl of about six years old.

"Yes dad. I want to be a warrior and I won't fail you!"

"That's a good girl! Now go to your room and get some rest for tomorrow."

"Yes sir! Goodnight mother." She said about to hug her but hesitated and turned away, going upstairs.

Eren would have followed had he not seen what happened after she exited the room.

"Johanna..."

"I know, I'm sorry. I just wish that sometimes she could have a life similar to normal human children."

"Again with this normal talk? You know good and well that the only thing she'll be is a warrior! There's nowhere else in the world that will accept someone like her once they know who she is...what she is!"

"Well I accept her!" She argued but regretted doing so after the words left her mouth.

Her husband stalked to her and shoved her against the wall. She was so short in comparison to him.

"I'm trying to do what's best for my daughter...our daughter. If I don't train Annie to be strong she'll let people in and they'll use her or..or hurt her!" He pushed his hand through his hair and slid it to the nape of his neck.

Eren wanted to argue. Why can't she let people in? I want to be allowed in...

The two parents broke away from each other and walked over to the dinning table, sitting on opposite sides.

The boy remembered when his parents fought, but his father never physically harmed or threatened his mother.

"You're being too kind to her again. The world isn't going to be that way and you know that-"

"Of course I do! But if I, the one person who is a part of her, doesn't show her love then who the hell will!?"

I would.

The room went silent for about a minute or so until Luke stood up.

"You're a bad influence on her. She's becoming soft again."

"Then what do you suppose I do? Treat Annie like a soldier? An animal?"

"You treat her like a warrior. If you don't...then you leave."

Johanna felt conflicted. She couldn't leave her only child alone with this lunatic that she once loved. The side of him she'd known for years had changed and he was like a whole different person.

"Then I guess we should make a cage and only feed her raw meat and allow her to drink the blood of her enemies then because that sounds what you are suggesting."

"You have a lot of nerve woman. Running your mouth like that will get you snapped in half like a twig. Or worse, eaten by a titan."

"I will say whatever the fuck I please Luke! You've become quite the asshole, you know that? I consider taking Annie and getting out of this forest almost all my days!"

He cackled loudly and towered above her, "You're really going to try taking my only warrior away from me? The door's open for your pathetic ass to scurry out but the girl stays with me."

"You can't stop me. One day you'll be gone from here and we'll leave without you even knowing!"

"You try and leave me...and I kill her. Your darling little child. She's only of use to me as a warrior."

A thump was heard near they stairs. As Luke, Johanna, and Eren looked in that direction they saw her. Annie with tears in her eyes looking used and depleted of all feelings of love. She flew up the stairs and locked her door.

Annie...


End file.
